Soccer

Ola Aina: The Nigerian Defender Leading Nottingham Forest’s Title Challenge

Published: Jan 4, 2025, 11:59 AM
8 min read
Updated: Jul 8, 2025, 9:00 AM
Fact checked by:
Sergey Demidov
Ola Aina of Nottingham Forest controls the ball during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City

Ola Aina of Nottingham Forest controls the ball during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Nottingham Forest’s first Premier League season in 24 years saw them narrowly avoid the drop, finishing 16th in the table and escaping relegation by four points, whilst their second season back in the topflight would see them finish 17th. With the club unable to splurge in the 2024 summer transfer window due to financial restrictions, many tipped the Tricky Trees for another relegation scrap.

Instead, Forest has emerged as the surprise package of the first half of the 2024-25 campaign. They have won five straight Premier League matches for the first time since 1995, and they are sitting pretty in third place. Many factors are behind their long-awaited resurgence, but one of the biggest reasons has been the stellar displays of Ola Aina in defense.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Aina rose through the ranks for Chelsea and England’s youth teams, helping Chelsea win the Barclays U21 Premier League, two FA Youth Cups, and two UEFA Youth League titles. After a decade at Cobham, Aina joined Championship side Hull City on loan in 2017 – that same year, he decided to switch over from England and represent Nigeria. Since then, he has achieved 40 caps and represented the Super Eagles in three different editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.

A Defensive Dynamo: Ola Aina’s Impact on Forest’s European Dream

After cutting his teeth in England’s second tier, Aina took his talents to Serie A and joined Torino, where he impressed as a right-sided and left-sided wingback and steered them to a seventh-place finish and qualification to the UEFA Europa League. It was enough for Torino to trigger their £9 million purchase option and sign him permanently, with Aina solidifying his status as one of the first names on the team sheet.

“Ola Aina’s biggest trait is his versatility,” said Nigerian journalist Oma Akatugba in an interview with RG. “He’s solid on both the left and right sides of the defense and brings a lot of athleticism to his game.

He’s reliable defensively and contributes to the attack, whilst he has the strength and technical ability to handle different roles and stay calm under pressure.”

Aina returned to London and joined Fulham on loan for the 2020-21 season, but although he managed 2 goals and 1 assist in 31 Premier League appearances, he was unable to keep them afloat in the top-flight. He returned to Italy and matured under the watchful eye of Ivan Jurić, refining his crossing skills and becoming a reliable figure in defense, before eventually joining Nottingham Forest on a free transfer in the summer of 2023.

He emerged as a consistent performer at the City Ground and excelled in Nigeria’s run to the 2024 AFCON Final, being named in the Team of the Tournament. This season, however, Aina has taken his performances to another level – he’s already scored as many goals (2) as he did in the previous three seasons combined, whilst he’s nearly made as many appearances (19) for Forest as he did in the entirety of 2023-24 (22).

Last season, Aina was shoehorned into his weaker side – the left side of defense – and still emerged as a serviceable performer for the Reds. This season, he’s gotten the chance to perform on his preferred right side, and Forest have reaped the rewards. Aina ranks third in Forest’s squad for accurate passes per game (25.7), completing 81% of his attempts, whilst he sits atop the roster for interceptions per 90 (1.3) alongside Álex Moreno. A speedy, versatile figure, Aina has the stamina to burst forward and whip in a precise delivery into the box, before hustling back and defending transitions.

“[Nottingham Forest manager] Nuno Espírito Santo builds his teams around defensive solidity and controlling the midfield area, without relying heavily on attacking football, and while he prefers the 4-2-3-1 formation, he adjusts his system depending on the opponent,” said Akatugba. “While Aina may prefer to attack, his versatility makes him capable of adapting to Nuno’s tactical flexibility. He sometimes pushes forward without recovering in time, leaving his side of the defense exposed, and he also needs to be more aggressive in physical duels. However, he has shown significant growth in terms of tactical understanding and how he approaches the game.

He’s become a fan favorite for the Super Eagles, and he has developed into a much more mature player. Returning to the Premier League has been an ideal move for him, and Forest could be a steppingstone to greater opportunities.”

The Stats Behind Ola Aina’s Breakout Season

At 28 years of age, Ola Aina is in the best form of his career and has emerged as an indispensable figure for club and country, and the proof is in the pudding. He’s already racked up more Expected Goals (0.58), Expected Assists (1.14) and Big Chances Created (2) than the entirety of last season (0.27), (1.03), (0), whilst he’s also averaging more long balls per 90 (1.1) and crosses per 90 (0.4) than in 2023-24 (0.9), (0.3). Aina is a dependable figure in 1v1 situations and has helped to subdue the likes of Heung-min Son, Luis Díaz, and Iliman Ndiaye this season, and he’s done the dirty work in high-pressure scenarios with 2.6 clearances per 90, 2.1 tackles per 90, and 5.7 recoveries per 90.

Despite having the lowest average possession in the Premier League (39.6%), Forest find themselves in contention to qualify for Europe’s premier competition for the first time in 44 years. They have done so thanks to their newfound defensive solidity – they’ve kept the most clean sheets (8) in the Premier League alongside Liverpool, whilst only Liverpool (17) and Arsenal (17) have conceded fewer goals than Forest (19). Ola Aina has proven essential in their resolute backline, holding his own in ground duels and using his physicality to his advantage.

He has staked his claim as one of the finest right-backs in England, and it could be a matter of time before he departs West Bridgford for a bigger club. Liverpool needs a right-back with Trent Alexander-Arnold set to leave on a free transfer, and between Kyle Walker’s declining performances and Reece James’ injury woes, both Manchester City and Chelsea could be in the market as well. However, with Aina’s contract set to expire on June 30, Forest could very well be resigned to losing their Nigerian defender for free.

Whether Ola Aina will extend his contract or depart for greener pastures in the summer remains to be seen. Still, for now, he will continue delivering the goods for a Forest side that is on course to return to European football for the first time in three decades.

Soccer Reporter
Zach Lowy is a freelance football journalist with more than a decade of experience writing for top outlets including FotMob and BetUS. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, he has covered major tournaments such as the Copa América and World Cup and has interviewed legends like Simão Sabrosa and Diego Forlán. Based in Washington, D.C., Zach regularly appears on BBC and SiriusXMFC as a football analyst.
Interests:
Liga Pro
EPL
Pickleball

More Soccer Stories

Soccer
Interview
"I Feel Ready”: Marcos Senesi Aiming For Greatness at Bournemouth

RG spoke to Marcos Senesi about his recovery from injury, working with Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth, and plenty more in an exclusive interview.

10
08/14/2025
Zach Lowy
Zach Lowy
"I Feel Ready”: Marcos Senesi Aiming For Greatness at Bournemouth
Soccer
Interview
Man United Icons Praise Soccer’s Meteoric Rise in America

Man United legend Wes Brown and defender Luke Shaw hail soccer’s meteoric rise in America, praising world-class stadiums, top-notch facilities, and more.

8
08/13/2025
Paul M. Banks
Paul M. Banks
Man United Icons Praise Soccer’s Meteoric Rise in America
Soccer
Interview
USMNT Star Timothy Weah Sets World Cup Goal After Joining Marseille

Timothy Weah is focused on being in top form for Marseille ahead of the 2026 World Cup next summer on US soil.

5
08/08/2025
Taiye Taiwo
Taiye Taiwo
USMNT Star Timothy Weah Sets World Cup Goal After Joining Marseille
Soccer
Interview
“Can’t Help But Get Passionate”: Les Reed on Wrexham’s Meteoric Ascent

Wrexham advisor Les Reed opens up on the club’s Championship debut, his role in their rise, and the connections that make Saturday’s clash with Southampton special

10
08/07/2025
Zach Lowy
Zach Lowy
 “Can’t Help But Get Passionate”: Les Reed on Wrexham’s Meteoric Ascent
Prev
...
Next

Our Authors

Sergey Demidov
Sergey Demidov
Head of News Department

Sergey Demidov is a veteran sports journalist with over 18 years of experience covering international sports. Since beginning his career in 2007, he has reported on the Olympic Games (Sochi 2014), FIFA World Cup (2014), UEFA Euro (2012), World Cup of Hockey (2016), and Stanley Cup Finals (since 2017).

Before joining RG, Sergey was an independent senior editor at NHL.com/ru (2016–present) and contributed to Gazeta.ru and TASS News Agency. Currently, he leads RG’s global news desk, overseeing correspondents across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.

He has conducted one-on-one interviews with elite athletes, including Jaromir Jagr and Alex Ovechkin, former WADA and FIFA presidents Craig Reedie and Sepp Blatter, and soccer coaches like Fabio Capello.

Sergey’s editorial work emphasizes accuracy, sourcing transparency, and a neutral voice, aligned with the Trust Project and Google Publisher Center principles.

He is bilingual in English and Russian, specializing in NHL hockey.

📍 Based in: Pafos, Cyprus

🌐 Languages: English, Russian, Greek

Meet All Our Experts
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Read our
Privacy Policy
.